§ Dame Patricia Hornsby-Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he would consult with those housing authorities which make no provision from Service families and investigate the possibility of eliminating or lessening the waiting period on council housing lists for families leaving Her Majesty's Forces on termination of service, particularly where they have lived in married quarters at home or abroad and have had no opportunity to register in any location.
§ Mr. AmeryIn circulars issued in 1965 and 1967 all housing authorities were asked to accept applications for council house tenancies from ex-Servicemen who had found employment locally or had family connections there made either before discharge or within 12 months thereafter. They were also asked to consider such applications exclusively on the basis of housing need without regard to length of residence in the locality. When the Central Housing Advisory Committee 391W subsequently looked at the practice of authorities in allocating tenancies it found that applications from ex-Servicemen were in the main being dealt with sympathetically and fairly. But if my right hon. Friend has knowledge of any cases where this is not happening I shall be very glad to look into them.